A Fool and his Eel by M. Walsingham
Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2024 3:49 pm
It is baffling that this book did not receive a review when launched in 2012 (...if I missed it, then I sincerely apologise...). I'm now on my 5th or 6th re-read of the book and it is a magnificent work. It is a coffee-table style hardback of 411 pages with immaculate colour photography and it is rigorously edited/proof-read.
Like many of the best angling books it is also an autobiography. Mark is a highly respected scientist and ecologist and the book traces all of the early influences on his career. As is well documented, Mark graduated from that renowned and anarchic angling university known as The Golden Scale Club and later went on to achieve everyone's pipe-dream by creating his own carp pool, now the property of the Carp Society.
The book covers deep investigations into river fishing for both coarse and trout/salmon, as well as several carp pools containing the famed Leney carp.
It is the sort of book which benefits from slow, careful reading because each chapter condenses what is clearly a long and thorough approach to each species, often covering several years at a time. Strongly recommend this book, a real object lesson in how to create a lasting and professional addition to our rich literature.
Like many of the best angling books it is also an autobiography. Mark is a highly respected scientist and ecologist and the book traces all of the early influences on his career. As is well documented, Mark graduated from that renowned and anarchic angling university known as The Golden Scale Club and later went on to achieve everyone's pipe-dream by creating his own carp pool, now the property of the Carp Society.
The book covers deep investigations into river fishing for both coarse and trout/salmon, as well as several carp pools containing the famed Leney carp.
It is the sort of book which benefits from slow, careful reading because each chapter condenses what is clearly a long and thorough approach to each species, often covering several years at a time. Strongly recommend this book, a real object lesson in how to create a lasting and professional addition to our rich literature.
